Federal Way Mirror, March 21, 2014

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MR. FEDERAL WAY | March Madness: Vasectomies and local soap operas [7]

VOL. 16, NO. 12

MIRROR

F E D E R A L WAY

DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING

OPINION | Editorial: ‘Hunger Games’ in Federal Way [4] Roegner: School board ups and downs [4] COMMUNITY | District reviews End of Course exams [8] BLOTTER | Safeway cashier robbed at gunpoint [11]

SPORTS | State-qualifier Beamer leads FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2014 | 75¢ All-City Boys Basketball Team [6]

Man charged with 22 counts of theft, fraud

Students shine at Federal Way Public Academy Lottery system determines whether students will make it in to public school or not

BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com

An Auburn man who told detectives he was the recipient of a $2 million grant from President Obama after police say he defrauded numerous financial institutions is facing 22 counts of forgery, theft and fraud. Steve E. Cho, 45, is accused of having forged three sale agreements for residences in Federal Way, falsifying financial documents to obtain two high-end luxury SUV vehicles, and numerous counts of check forgery in the last couple of years, according to charges filed in King County Superior Court on March 12. Numerous financial institutions had been investigating Cho for fraud, but Cho’s alleged “Catch Me If You Can” like act wasn’t uncovered until late February of last year, according to the charges. At that time, Federal Way Police Department officers were called out to a house in the 33000 block of Seventh Court SW. The Cho family was outside the residence when officers arrived and told police they were “pushed out” by the owner of the real estate company that listed the residence on behalf of the seller, the documents continue. When detectives spoke with the seller’s daughter, she told them she stopped by her parents’ residence to

BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ editor@fedwaymirror.com

F

Above, students in Mark Klumpsenhower’s English class laugh during a grammar lesson at the Federal Way Public Academy on a recent morning. Left, Marquis Waright, a 10th grader at Federal Way Public Academy, takes notes during a lesson at the school. Waright has attended the public school since the sixth grade, when he was chosen for admittance via a public lottery that the school district holds. PHOTOS BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ, The Mirror

Council votes to support Metro funding measure BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com

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ifth grader Ellie Wagner sits on the floor in the back of the room, waiting for her name to be called. “I’m a little nervous,” says her father, Jeff Wagner, standing next to her. At the front of the room, Paula Curtis reaches into a small paper bag, shuffling the pieces of paper around before she pulls the first slip out. Reading the name aloud on the paper, she hands the slip to her assistant and pulls another name from the bag. And another. Someone from the audience of more than 100 parents and students sighs in an otherwise quiet room during the public lottery on Monday night at the Educational Services Center. Out of 143 students who applied for the Federal Way Public Academy (FWPA), only the first 60 incoming sixth graders that Curtis called made it into the school. The other 83 students were placed on a waiting list, again, via the lottery. “Ellie Wagner, number 37,” Curtis said of the student’s placement on the waiting list. The number signified that Ellie probably won’t get into Federal Way Public Academy, at least for this year. For now, she will move on to either Sequoyah Middle School, or perhaps a Christian school, Wagner said. He heard about the school from his daughter’s friends who attend the public school. FWPA provides students a rigorous, challenging academic program. The school’s mission is to provide a college preparatory curriculum for students in grades six through 10. About 300 [ more FWPA, page 3 ]

The Federal Way City Council voted 5-2 to lend their support to Proposition 1, the April 22 ballot [ more FRAUD, page 2 ] proposal aimed at maintaining current levels of Metro Transit service. The proposal would also attempt to tackle county-wide road issues. MOUNTING • AIR CHECKS • ROTATIONS In total, the proposal would

ECLIPSE

CALENDAR | ‘Cuff Me: The Fifty Shades of Grey’ parody playing at Centerstage [19]

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increase King County residents car tabs to $60 ($40 for “low-income” residents) and add “one penny (in sales tax) to every $10 spent” in the county. Proponents for and against the measure made their voices heard during the Council’s meeting on Tuesday, with oppenent Will Knedlik leading off the arguments. “This Council must oppose Proposition 1, a $1.5 billion tax

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increase through two highly regressive taxes on motorists and on the sales of goods and services,” said Knedlik. “Because terrible existing transit unfairness for Federal Way residents would be made worse by the 1,500 percent tax increase on drivers and boaters and the other owners of a wide variety of vehicles. (It also will impose a) very aggressive tax on goods and services to

take another $465 million from taxpayers over the same decade.” Knedlik said that Federal Way should oppose the proposition because the current system as is essentially acts as a wealth-redistribution scheme from outlying parts of King County to Seattle. “Metro Transit (is) being a terrible parent, who abuses South and [ more METRO, page 2 ]

Federal Way • 34415 16th Ave S • (253) 927-1159 • lesschwab.com

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